The Reshaping of the Global Value Chain and the Evolution of the International Trade Landscape under the Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have become a global consensus, driving a paradigm shift in the global value chain from one prioritizing efficiency to one prioritizing sustainability, profoundly impacting the logic of the international division of labor and the system of trade rules. Drawing on the latest data from international organizations such as UNCTAD and the WTO, this article systematically examines the inherent coupling between the SDGs and the global value chain, analyzes the triple mechanism by which policy regulation, market demand, and technological innovation drive the reshaping of the value chain, and explores the core directions of regionalization, greening, and digitalization in this reshaping. The results show that this reshaping of the value chain is leading to a dual dynamic of "multipolarization" and "reconstruction of rules" in the international trade landscape: the trade share of BRICS countries has increased to 22%, and emerging economies and low-income countries within developing countries are showing differentiated participation. Emerging economies have significantly strengthened their voice in the rules, but green barriers such as the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) have a more significant impact on low-income countries, exacerbating trade stratification. Based on practical cases such as Midea's overseas lighthouse factories and Jinhua's corporate carbon labeling, it is demonstrated that green technological innovation and regional collaboration are key pathways to overcoming the challenges of this transition. The research conclusions of this article can provide practical reference for countries to participate in the upgrading of the global value chain and adapt to the evolution of the international trade pattern.